What the hell is all that noise?
It's us!
Shanty Club is here for one purpose; to keep alive the past-time of communal folk singing. Singing that's judgement free. For too long churches, choir rooms and sports stadiums have held sway over the choral landscape. We're here to take it back with working songs of the sea, land, rail, and fax machine.
If it's got a good chorus, we'll sing it
We're not purists. We sing shanties, railroad songs, mining songs, modern parodies, pretty much anything folksy - we even regularly sing a Tom Waits song.
So if you've got a folk song in your heart,
come on down and sing it with us.
But there are songs we don't sing
Communal folk singing is an old and beautiful past time. But it does mean there are some songs from old eras that shouldn't be sung anymore. Songs with outdated terminologies and mentalities. If you want more detail, there's more on our resources page.
So we do our part in making sure that what does continue are songs that deserve to stick around, ones that tell jokes, stories and tall-tales that are comfortable to sing for just about everyone.
Which still leaves us with heeeaaps of songs to sing.
If you'd still like to know more about what to and what not to do at shanty club, shoot us a message.
Faces that are good to know
Clay
The captain of Redfern Shanty Club and Shanty Club in general. Believes simultaneously that all the good times and all the hard days are both gone. Beer of choice: Yes.
Dan
The captain of Harbour Shanty Club. His love language is 'loud' and he is powered by harmonies. Insists we're only going out for one.
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Sarah
The captain of Surry Hills Shanty Club. Small in stature but mighty in volume, with a penchant for folk songs about kick-ass women kicking ass.
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Fergus
The quartermaster of Shanty Club, responsible for keeping the vibes shipshape. One day, Fergus plans to retire to the banks of a wild Scottish loch and not wear trousers ever again.
Henry
One of Shanty Club's Lieutenants. Is, frankly, too tall and too nice. A big fan of seabirds sailing down below Cape Horn, and will sing to you about it.
Dan
One of Shanty Club's lieutenants. Sings songs about feeling sexy and tragic songs about love. To him, there are no other song types.
Tom
One of Shanty Club's lieutenants. After being tricked into visiting Redfern with the promise of a quiet beer on a Monday night, he now knows that if he can sing, anyone can.
Emma
One of Shanty Club's lieutenants and the rattle-iest of all bogs. Loves awl songs about shoes and how to peg 'em.
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Zack
One of Shanty Club's lieutenants. Hails from Newcastle, sings about mine work, writes songs about big hairy spiders.
Where we've sung
The National Folk Festival Illawarra Folk Festival Folk by the Sea Cobargo Folk Festival St Alban's Folk Festival Perisher Peak Festival Kangaroo Valley Folk Festival Sydney Gaffers Day Sydney Wooden Boat Festival The ABC Sydney Folk Festival Hyde Park Barracks Wollongong Folk Club Loaded Dog Folk Club James Craig Music Club Barangaroo Giant Picnic Fairbridge Festival PlaySchool Pirate Day (For Kid's Cancer Project)
Clubs of Old
Please doff your caps for Shanty Clubs past
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Marrickville Shanty Club
Gasoline Pony
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Wynyard Shanty Club
Duke of Clarence
Sydney Shanty Club
Spawn Point Bar
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Newtown Shanty Club
5 Eliza
Netwon Shanty Club
Kelly's on King
Chippendale Shanty Club
Fortress
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Camperdown Shanty Club
Wayward Brewing Co
City Shanty Club
Button Bar
Captains Past
An honorary list of past leaders who have helmed Shanty Club over the years.
Carlo Ritchie
Founder
Wyatt Nixon-Lloyd
Captain
Joe Glover
Captain
Jack Ballhausen
Captain
Shelley Eves
Captain
Robert Boddington
Captain